Recording medium having a data structure for managing graphic information and recording and reproducing methods and apparatuses

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, the data structure includes at least one graphic information of first type graphic information and second type graphic information. The first type graphic information is for always on display and the second type graphic information is for display in response to user request.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/920,169 filed on Aug. 18, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,122, theentirety of which hereby is incorporated herein by reference.

This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No.10-2003-97528 filed on Dec. 26, 2003 which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to high density recording media such asread-only blu-ray discs (BD-ROM) and methods and apparatuses associatedtherewith.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Generally, an optical disk on which a large capacity of data isrecordable is widely used as an optical record medium. Recently, manyefforts have been made to develop a new high density optical recordmedium (HD-DVD) on which video data of high definition and audio data ofhigh quality can be recorded and stored, such as a blu-ray disk(hereinafter abbreviated BD) and the like.

The blu-ray disk (BD) as a next generation HD-DVD technology is the nextgeneration optical record solution enabling storage of data thatremarkably surpasses previous DVD. The technology specifications ofglobal standards for the BD are being established together with otherdigital equipment standards.

Although many efforts have been made to develop optical reproducingplayers adopting the BD specifications, there are many difficulties indeveloping a complete optical reproducing player since the BDspecifications have not been fully established yet.

Particularly, for effective reproduction of data from the Blu-ray Disc(BD), menu information must be organized and provided so that throughinteraction with the user, selective data reproduction may take place.However, in the present Blu-ray Disc (BD) standards, becauseconsolidated standards of the supplementary data, particularly the menuinformation are not complete yet, there are many restrictions on thedevelopment of a Blu-ray Disc (BD) optical reproducing apparatus, whichcauses problems with reproducing the menu information and providing itto the user according to a request of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a recording medium having a datastructure for managing graphic information.

In one embodiment, the data structure includes at least one graphicinformation of first type graphic information and second type graphicinformation. The first type graphic information is for always on displayand the second type graphic information is for display in response touser request.

The present invention also relates to a method of reproducing graphicinformation.

In one embodiment, the method includes reading at least one graphicinformation of first type graphic information and second type graphicinformation. The first type graphic information is for always on displayand the second type graphic information is for display in response touser request. The read graphic information is reproduced along withvideo data.

The present invention still further relates to an apparatus forreproducing graphic information.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a control unit controlling atleast one graphic information of first type graphic information andsecond type graphic information to be read, and controlling the readgraphic information to be reproduced along with video data. The firsttype graphic information is for always on display and the second typegraphic information is for display in response to user request.

The present invention also relates to methods and apparatuses forcreating a data structure for managing graphic information, and forrecording a data structure for managing graphic information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a file structure of a high density optical disc inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a disc volume for storing the filestructure of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 3A to 3B illustrate a data structure of the recording medium(e.g., BD-ROM) for managing graphic information and a method formanaging the menu information in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment for managing a real time popup menuaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment for managing a preloaded popup menuaccording to the present invention;

FIGS. 6A to 6C illustrates data structures of the management andidentification information according to an embodiments of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of an opticalrecording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are diagrams illustrating the operation of theoptical recording/reproducing apparatus after popup menu typeidentification information (PopUp_menu_type) per specific playback unitin a disk has been recognized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. While termsused in the present invention are possibly selected from currentlywell-known terms, terms are arbitrarily chosen by the applicant in somecases and their meanings are explained in detail in the followingdescription. Hence, the present invention should be understood with themeanings of the corresponding terms chosen by the applicant instead ofthe simple names of the terms.

First of all, the file structure and recording medium format for dataplayback management adopted by the present invention are explained indetail by referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 below. FIG. 1 illustrates afile structure of a high density optical disc in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. As shown, the file structureincludes at least one BD directory BDMV under a root directory. In theBD directory BDMV, an index file index.bdmv and an object fileMovieObject.bdmv are included as general file (upper file) information.Moreover, three directories, which have playback management andnavigation information for the data recorded on the recording medium(e.g., a Blu-ray Disc) are recorded in the BD directory BDMV. The threedirectories are a playlist directory PLAYLIST, a clip informationdirectory CLIPINF, and a stream directory STREAM. The three directoriesand the files included therein will be explained in detail below.

Files for video and audio streams, which are called an ‘AV stream’, arerecorded according to specific formats in the stream directory STREAM.For instance, ‘*.m2ts’ is used as each extension name of AV stream files(e.g., 01000.m2ts and 02000.m2ts) since the AV stream files aregenerally recorded as MPEG2 transport packets. In the BD specification,the AV stream is named a clip stream file. Relating to the presentinvention, the data recorded in the disk will exist in the form of theAV stream file.

The clipinfo directory CLIPINF consists of clipinfo files 01000.clpi and02000.clpi having a one-to-one correspondence with the AV stream files(*.m2ts), respectively. Specifically, attribute information and timinginformation of an AV stream are recorded in the corresponding clipinfofile (*.clpi). The timing information includes information on mapping apresentation time stamp (PTS) of data in the AV stream file to a sourcepacket number of a source packet in the AV stream file. Typically thismap is referred to as an entry point map. In the BD standard, the AVstream file *.m2ts and the corresponding clipinfo file *.clpi arecollectively called a “clip”. Accordingly, the file “01000.clpi” in theclipinfo directory CLIPINF has attribute information and timinginformation on the file “01000.m2ts” in the stream directory, and thefiles “01000.clpi” and “01000.m2ts” form a clip.

The playlist directory PLAYLIST includes playlist files (*.mpls), andeach of the playlist files (*.mpls) includes at least one playitemdesignating a playing interval of a specific clip. The playitem hasnavigation information on a play starting time (In-Time) and play endtime (Out-Time) of a particular clip desired to play, i.e., designatedby the clip name given in a Clip_Information_File field in the playitem.Moreover, the playlist file *.mpls may be provided with a subplayitem asnecessary, such as when data is to be played non-synchronized with theplayitem.

In the BD directory BDMV, there are an index file index.bdmv and anobject file Object.bdmv as general files for securing userinteractivity. The index file index.bdmv includes an index table indexTable having main menu information and title information the user canselect.

Particularly, the main menu information recorded in the index Table iscalled a main menu or a top menu. In relation to this, the subjectdisclosure introduces a popup menu, which is newly defined as new menuinformation separate from the main menu. A popup menu may providedetailed menu information according to the data attributes of a specificreproducing or playback unit (e.g., title, chapter, scene, etc.), andmay be provided through a small window in the display that may overlap acurrently reproduced picture in some cases.

Accordingly, the popup menu managing information is provided in eachtitle. For example, a title may be divided into chapters eachrepresented by one of a plurality of reproduction units, and popup menuinformation may be associated with each reproduction unit. Also, popupmenu information may be provided as part of a playlist file (*.mpls), aclipinfo file (*.clpi), etc. Below, the main menu and the popup menuwill be described in more detail referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

As shown in FIG. 2, the disc volume of a BD-ROM is organized into a filesystem information area, a database area, and an A/V stream area. Thefile system information area stores system information for managing thedisc. The database area includes a general files area and a playlist andclip information area. The general files area stores general files suchas the index.bdmv file and the MovieObject.bdmv file. The playlist andclip information area stores the PLAYLIST directory and the CLIPINFdirectory. The main data and the supplementary data, such asaudio/video/graphic, recorded thereon are stored as the MPEG2 transportstream formatted clip files (*.m2ts) in the A/V stream area.

FIGS. 3A to 3B illustrate a data structure of the recording medium(e.g., BD-ROM) for managing graphic information such as a popup menu anda method for managing the menu information in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 3A schematicallyillustrates the file structure provided by the main menu information inthe index table, and FIG. 3B illustrates the data structure for managingpopup menu information according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the file structure for managing the main menuincludes the index file index.bdmv having main menu information.Specifically, the index file index.bdmv includes an Index Table havingthe main menu information Menu, title information Title #1, . . . ,Title #n, and first playback information First Playback. The informationin the index table is linked one-to-one with information in thecorresponding object file MovieObject.bdmv, which controls reproduction.

Accordingly, the main menu information in the Index Table is performedby a user request “Call Menu”, and in the main menu, a basic title menuTitle is included. Thus, the user can select from the main menu, one ofthe titles the user wants to reproduce.

If the user selects Title #1, Title #1 is mapped to an object, e.g.,MovieObject #1, designated by the link information, which is included inTitle #1 information within the index table, i.e.,‘Title_ref_to_mobj_id’ information. And, a playlist, e.g., PlayList #1,designated by a command in the corresponding object is played back.

The playlist PlayList #1 is equipped with playitems PlayItem #1 andPlayItem #2 that include navigation information for reproducing Clips #1and #2, respectively.

The first playback information First Playback in the index table IndexTable includes link information that is automatically loaded when thedisc is loaded. As such, the playlist file and clip file linked to thefirst playback information by an object in the object.bdmv file arereproduced, automatically, in the same manner as discussed above withrespect to the Title #1.

In the process for reproducing a corresponding title, reproductionstarts from the main menu. The main menu is limited to providinggeneral, title based main menu information for the total disc, and thereis a limitation in properly providing the main menu according to theattributes of the recorded data.

Owing in part to the above, when the data attributes of the recordeddata are different and/or more detailed, separate additional menuinformation may be provided to the user so as to provide convenience andan environment different from the convention optical disc.

The additional menu information is graphic information called a popupmenu. FIG. 3B illustrates the data structure for managing the graphicinformation forming popup menu information according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

First of all, the popup menu is menu information provided according tothe attributes of data recorded within each playback unit, whereas themain menu is general information provided for an overall disk.

The ‘playback unit’ to which the popup menu is applied means a specificplayback section to which a disk author applied a popup menu. Forinstance, a title, chapter or the like may be one ‘playback unit’according to the contents thereof. And, even a scene, etc. may be one‘playback unit’.

A ‘title’ (e.g., a movie) may be considered the biggest unit among thecontents in a blue-ray disk (BD), and ‘chapters’ may be considered as aplurality of smaller playback sections in the title. Accordingly, apopup menu may be configured differently on a title and/or chapterbasis.

Also, the present invention provides two types of popup menus. A firsttype will be referred to as a ‘real-time popup menu’ or ‘first typepopup menu (Type #1 PopUp menu)’. The second type will be referred to asa ‘preloaded popup menu’ or ‘second type popup menu (Type #2 PopUpmenu)’. These two types of popup menus will be described in greaterdetail below.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the second type popup menu may be used as a titlemenu and the first type popup menu may be used as chapter menus. In FIG.3B, the third chapter (chapter #3) does not have an associated firsttype popup menu and as such becomes a playback section supported by thepreloaded popup menu applied to the entire title.

A popup menu may be provided with menu information according to thepopup menu type. A disk author also provides various kinds of menuinformation fitting the data attributes of the playback unit with whichthe popup menu is associated. For instance, a popup menu enablingchapter and audio language changes within a title may be provided in thepreloaded popup menu of Title #1, and various kinds of menu informationbased on the data attributes of the corresponding chapter may beprovided in the real-time popup menu within each chapter. For instance,in FIG. 3B, a popup menu consisting of a menu enabling shopping and acomment menu including enhanced data is provided for chapter #1, and anaudio language changeable menu and an ‘external’ menu for receiving aninput signal from outside are provided for chapter #2. A real-time popupmenu is not provided to chapter #3.

Moreover, each popup menu is additionally equipped with a menu selectionfor executing the main menu in the index table. If the corresponding‘main menu’ in the popup menu is clicked, the ‘Call Menu’ command isexecuted so that the main menu of the index file is executed.

Second, contrary to how the main menu is displayed, the popup menu isdisplayed overlapping, using a small window, a presently reproducedpicture without changing the presently reproduced picture. As such, thepresently reproduced picture becomes the background picture. Thebackground picture may be a stilled or paused picture, or may becontinuously reproduced without being paused.

Thirdly, the execution of the main or popup menu is based on a user'sexecution command, e.g., a menu execution button input via a remotecontroller. In case of the popup menu, various execution commands may beimplemented. For instance, for a real-time popup menu, an execution icondisplaying that a popup menu exists in a current playback section withina currently displayed image is provided to a user. The user then clicksthe corresponding icon to execute the popup menu. In case of thepreloaded popup menu, a menu execution button input is made via a remotecontroller to execute the popup menu. The execution command for thepopup menu is named ‘PopUp_on’. As mentioned in the foregoingdescription, it can be seen that each ‘PopUp_on’ method may differsaccording to popup menu type, which will be explained in detail belowwith respect to FIGS. 4 and 5.

In summing up the features of the newly defined popup menu, the popupmenu provides menu information based on the data attributes within aspecific playback unit. There may exist a plurality of popup menu types,and the disk author selectively determines the popup menu types. Each ofthe execution commands PopUp_on of the popup menus is separatelyconfigured per each popup menu type. The operation of the popup menu isperformed while having the background image paused or by maintainingplay back of the background image without switching the background imageas when the main menu is executed.

The above-configured menu information, and particularly, theconfiguration per each type of the popup menu and various executingmethods thereof are explained by referring to the detailed embodimentsof the present invention below.

FIGS. 4 and 6A-6B illustrate an embodiment for managing a real timepopup menu according to the present invention, and FIGS. 5, 6A and 6Cillustrate an embodiment for managing a preloaded popup menu accordingto the present invention.

First, differences between the real-time popup menu and the preloadedpopup menu in these embodiments will be described.

Firstly, the preloaded popup menu is applied to a more global playbackunit such as a group of chapters or a title. As such the contents of thepreloaded popup menu are more global in nature. On the contrary, thereal-time popup menu may be applied to a more specific playback unitsuch as a chapter in the title. The contents of the real time popup menuare more directly related to the data attributes of the associatedplayback unit.

Each application of the preloaded popup menu and the real-time popupmenu may be performed based on the ‘title and chapter’ hierarchy. Asother examples, the application may be based on the ‘title and mark’,‘chapter and mark’, ‘playlist and playitem’, ‘playlist and mark’,‘playlist and clip’, or ‘title and display set’ data structures. Namely,in the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, the real-time popup menu is thepopup menu for the smaller playback section within a ‘playback unit’associated with the preloaded popup menu. As will be appreciated, thereal-time and preloaded popup menus according to these two embodimentsof the present invention may be applied regardless of the names of the‘playback unit’.

Secondly, in configuring popup menu data, the preloaded popup menu meansgraphic information provided by a separate data file distinguished fromthe file containing the AV data of the corresponding playback unit. Thereal-time popup menu means graphic information provided by beingmultiplexed in a file with the AV data of the corresponding playbackunit.

Hence, the preloaded popup menu and the real-time popup menu areoccasionally named ‘on-demand popup menu’ and ‘dyna-view popup menu’,respectively.

Thirdly, for popup menu execution, a selection of a specific popup menubutton provided on an external remote controller and the like or aninput panel is recognized as the execution command Popup_on. On thecontrary, the real-time popup menu is always provided within aplayed-back image in the form of a specific execution icon, and areproducing apparatus recognizes a user clicking the corresponding iconas the execution command PopUp_on. Hence, the preloaded popup menu isoccasionally referred to as a user request popup menu and the real-timepopup menu is occasionally referred to as an always on display popup

A disk author sets up the most efficient popup menu to provide a userbased on the attributes of the recorded data. Hence, the real-time popupmenu may not be provided for a specific playback unit, e.g., chapter #3in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the configuration and execution of areal-time popup menu. As shown, a user-recognizable execution icon(e.g., a circled ‘R’ icon) is provided to one side of each playbackimage (e.g., always on display). If a user clicks the corresponding icon(‘PopUp_on’), the corresponding menu information is provided.

For instance, if the real-time popup menu is the same as applied tochapter #1 of FIG. 3B, the activated popup menu includes the menuselections of ‘Shopping’, ‘Comment’ and ‘Main’ menu as discussed above.And, if a specific command is set up in association with a menuselection, the specific command is set up as information utilized inplaying back an optical disk. For example, if the main menu is selected(which becomes the ‘Call_Menu’ command), a current image is switched toa main menu image.

Hence, in the actual implementation of the real-time popup menuaccording to the embodiment of the present invention, the identicalpopup menu can be configured within the corresponding playback unit(e.g., chapters #1 or chapter #2 in FIG. 4). As will be appreciated, theplayback unit (e.g., chapter #1) may be divided into time-based playbacksections, and real-time popup menus having the different menuinformation may be provided for each of the divided sections.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the configuration and execution methodof the preloaded popup menu. Here, the corresponding menu information isprovided if a user selects a popup menu execution button using anexternal remote controller or the like (PopUp_on). For instance, unlikethe real-time popup menu, which includes an always on display component,the preloaded popup menu is usually not displayed until a user requestis received.

If the preloaded popup menu of FIG. 5 is the same as the preloaded popupmenu applied to Title #1 of FIG. 3B, the execution command PopUp_on ofthe popup menu activates display of a popup menu consisting of ‘Main’menu, ‘Chapter’ menu, and ‘Language’ menu selections. The chapter menuprovides for enabling a chapter change. The language menu provides forchanging the audio language from a current time point within any sectionof title #1. A user then selects one of the menus to call up theselected menu. Moreover, if the ‘Main’ menu is selected (Call_Menu), acurrent image is switched to a main menu image as discussed previously.

Hence, in the actual implementation of the preloaded popup menuaccording to the embodiment of the present invention, the popup menu canbe configured within the corresponding playback unit (e.g., title #1).As mentioned in the foregoing description, the preloaded popup menu ismanaged as a menu file separate from the general AV data or is recordedin an area distinguished from general data despite being included in thegeneral AV data. Hence, the preloaded popup menu is preloaded in thecorresponding playback unit to be utilized.

Therefore, both of the real-time and preloaded popup menus may besimultaneously utilized in some implementations of the presentinvention. For instance, with respect to Chapters #1 and #2 of FIG. 3Bboth of the preloaded popup menu provided for an overall title and thereal-time popup menu provided for each chapter in accordance with auser's selection may be activated.

With classifying the popup menus of the present invention into two typesand using a specific popup menu type, a data structure for identifyingthe type of the popup menu in a specific file information per playbackunit is provided. Moreover, the present invention provides fordistinguishing one case where the popup menu is not applied to aspecific playback unit from the other case where both of the popup menusof the two types are applied to the specific playback unit. The datastructure for, and method of recording, the identification informationfor identifying the popup menu type is explained in detail as follows.

FIGS. 6A to 6C illustrates data structures of the management andidentification information, identifying a popup menu type, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6A illustrates an embodiment of recording popup menu identificationinformation in a playlist file. Referring to FIG. 6A, in the playlistfile, there exists a ‘AppInfoPlayList { }’ data structure recordingapplication information, a ‘PlayList { }’ data structure recordingplayitem and sub-playitem information, and a ‘PlayListMark { }’ datastructure recording mark information.

The popup menu type identification information of this embodiment of thepresent invention is named ‘PopUp_menu_type’ as a field name and isrecorded in the playlist file. ‘PopUp_menu_type=00b’ means that a popupmenu fails to support a corresponding playback unit.‘PopUp_menu_type=01b’ means that only a real-time popup menu supports acorresponding playback unit. ‘PopUp_menu_type=10b’ means that only apreloaded popup menu supports a corresponding playback unit. And,‘PopUp_menu_type=11b’ means that a real-time popup menu and a preloadedpopup menu support a corresponding playback unit.

The field ‘PopUp_menu_type’ may be set for each playback unit or for aspecific playback section within a playback unit. For instance, theindicator ‘PopUp_menu_type’ may be defined in ‘AppInfoPlayList { }’,‘PlayItem ( )’ or ‘SubPlayItem ( )’ data structures. Moreover, the nameof the supported popup menu may be directly included in the fileinformation managing the playback unit supported by the popup menu.

FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C illustrate data structures for managing the‘PopUp_menu_type’ recorded in the file structure. FIG. 6B shows the datastructure for managing real-time popup menu data and FIG. 6C shows thedata structure for managing preloaded popup menu data.

Referring to FIG. 6B, a real-time popup menu exists within a specificplayback unit, and particularly, within a chapter. For instance,PlayList #k manages a pair of clips (clip for chapter #1, clip forchapter #2), which are recorded by multiplexing AV stream and graphicinformation representing a real-time popup menu into MPEG2 transportpackets, as a pair of playitems PlayItem #1 and PlayItem #2.

During reproduction, a control unit (an example of which is discussedbelow with respect to FIG. 7) of an optical recording/reproducingapparatus reads out the real-time popup menu. The real-time popup menuis recorded multiplexed with the AV data. By using the PID (packet ID)of the real-time popup menu packets, which differ from the PID of the AVdata packets, the real-time menu packets are filtered out and providedas the corresponding popup menu if a user's real-time popup menuexecution command (PopUp_on) is delivered. As will be appreciated basedon the description of FIG. 4, a component of the real-time menu isalways on display.

In the example of FIG. 6B, the real-time popup menu is recorded by beingmultiplexed at a front half of the clip. The popup menu is provided in afront or lead portion of the clip because the menu information may bedisplayed only after the optical recording/reproducing apparatus hasread out the graphic data representing the menu.

Yet, in case that the user demands the real-time popup menu executioncommand even if the optical record playback apparatus fails to read outthe entire real-time popup menu data provided within the correspondingchapter, the operation thereof may fail to met the user's demand. Inorder to prevent such a problem, a function of prohibiting the executionof the popup menu for a specific section or interval (duration) may beintroduced. For example, the additional menu control fields—‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit_duration or PopUp_menu_waiting_duration’ fieldand/or ‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit’ field may be provided as shown in FIG. 6B.The ‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit_duration or PopUp_menu_wating_duration’ fielddesignates a specific section (e.g., a period of time) of the playbackunit during which the execution of the popup menu is prohibited. The‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit’ field prohibits/permits the execution of the popupmenu. ‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit=Yes’ is set as a control command indicatingthat the popup menu execution is prohibited. And,‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit=No’ is set as the control command to indicate thatexecution of the popup menu is permitted. At least one of the‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit_duration or PopUp_menu_waiting_duration’ field and‘PopUp_menu_Prohibit’ fields may be applied. Moreover, both of thefields may be applied to secure reliability of this function.

FIG. 6C shows the data structure for managing preloaded popup menu data.Referring to FIG. 6C, PlayList #n manages clips (clips for Title #n)having an AV stream recorded therein. Playitems in the PlayList #ninclude navigation information for reproducing the clips. A separateclip file storing graphic information representing a preloaded popupmenu is also recorded. The PlayList #n includes a SubPlayItem (Case 1)having navigation information for reproducing the separate clip file ofgraphic information. Alternatively, PlayList #1 may record separatepreloaded popup menu data in a front portion of a clip (clip for Title#n) having the AV stream (Case 2).

Specifically, even if the preloaded popup menu data is recorded as aseparate file (Case 1), in one embodiment, the preloaded popup menu datais recorded physically adjacent to the general AV data. This isadvantageous in reducing a time taken for playing back the general AVdata after the popup menu data has been preloaded.

Moreover, even if the preloaded popup menu data is recorded in the frontportion of the clip (clip for Title #n) having the AV stream recordedtherein (Case 2), it is apparent that Case 2 is different from therecording method of the foregoing-mentioned real-time popup menu data inFIG. 6B since the preloaded popup menu data is not multiplexed with theAV stream.

The control unit (an example of which is discussed below with respect toFIG. 7) of the optical record playback apparatus firstly reproduces thepreloaded popup menu data via the SubPlayItem or PlayItem before playingback the clip for Title #n from the corresponding PlayList #n, andstores the menu in a memory. Once the user's popup menu executioncommand PopUp_on is delivered, the preloaded popup menu is provided.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of an opticalrecording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. Asshown, the apparatus includes a pickup member 11 for retrieving orrecording managing information having data and menu information recordedin the optical disc; a servo or driver 14 for controlling movement ofthe pickup member 11; a signal processor 13 for demodulating areproduced signal received from the pickup member 11 into a desiredsignal value or modulating the signal to be recorded into a signalrecorded in the optical disc; a memory 15 for temporarily storing themanaging information having the menu information, and a microcomputer 16for controlling the servo 14, the signal processor 13 and the memory 15.A comprehensive term of above structural elements is a record playbacksystem 20. Particularly, the record playback system 20 performsreproduction based on the data structure as described above with respectto FIGS. 1-6C.

An AV decoder 17 provides the data to the user by decoding output dataaccording to instruction from a controller 12. The AV encoder 17converts an input signal into a specific format (i.e., MPEG2 transportstream) according to the control of the controller 12, and provides theconverted signal to the signal processor 13 in the record playbacksystem 20 for performing the function of recording the signal to theoptical disc.

From the reproduced popup menu type identification information(PopUp_menu_type) recorded on the recording medium, the control unit 12recognizes whether each specific playback unit is supported by a popupmenu and the type or types of popup menu supporting the playback unit.The control unit 12 reads out popup menu data per the recognized typeaccording to a previously defined method such as described with respectto FIGS. 6A to 6C, and then provides the corresponding popup menu to auser if a user's popup menu execution (PopUp_on) is delivered.

Specifically, when receiving the user's popup menu execution command(PopUp_on), the control unit 12 performs the popup menu executioncommand (PopUp_on) corresponding to the read-out identificationinformation and may provide an announcement message to a user inresponse to a popup menu execution command (PopUp_on). This operation isexplained in detail by referring to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are diagrams illustrating the operation of theoptical recording/reproducing apparatus after popup menu typeidentification information (PopUp_menu_type) per specific playback unitin a disk has been recognized.

FIG. 8A exemplarily shows a case that a preloaded popup menu fails toexist in a specific title Title #k (No Type #2 PopUp), that Chapter #nin the corresponding title even fails to have a real-time popup menu(PopUp_menu_type=00b), and that Chapter #(n+1) in the correspondingtitle has a real-time popup menu (PopUp_menu_type=01b).

Referring to FIG. 8A, when intending to play back the optical diskhaving ‘PopUp_menu_type=00b’ and ‘PopUp_menu_type=01b’, the opticalrecording/reproducing apparatus recognizes a popup menu type per eachchapter from the popup menu identification information PopUp_menu_typerecorded in the disk in association with each chapter. Based on the typeindications, the apparatus controls the output of popup menuinformation.

Specifically, Chapter #n has a type indictor ‘PopUp_menu_type=00b’indicating that neither a real-time nor a preload popup menu supportChapter #n. If a preloaded type popup menu execution command PopUp_on(menu button of a remote controller) is delivered from a user in theprocess of playing back Chapter #n, the apparatus provides the user viaa display screen with a message announcing that the popup menu fails toexist. The user has to click an execution icon displayed on the screento execute the real-time popup menu. Yet, Chapter #n fails to besupported by the real-time popup menu so that the execution icon itselffails to be displayed thereon.

Chapter #(n+1) has a type indicator ‘PopUp_menu_type=01b’ indicatingthat Chapter #(n+1) is not supported by a preloaded popup menu but issupported by a real-time popup menu. As such the real-time popup menuexecution icon (e.g., circled ‘R’) is always displayed on one side of aplayback image while the corresponding section is played back. If a userclicks the corresponding execution icon, it is recognized as thereal-time popup menu execution command to provide the popup menu. If thepreloaded popup menu execution command PopUp_on is delivered from theuser, the apparatus provides the user via a display screen with themessage announcing that there exists no preloaded popup menu. Theapparatus may further provide an announcement message leading to theexecution of the real-time popup menu. For instance, the message asksthe user to click the real-time popup menu execution icon with a messageof ‘Please click here!’.

Specifically, Chapter #n or Chapter #(n+1) fails to be supported by thepreloaded popup menu. Yet, the user may frequently demand execution byactivating a popup menu button using a remote controller and the likeunintentionally (which corresponds to the execution command PopUp_on ofthe preloaded popup menu). Hence, the above methods will be very usefulby alerting a user.

FIG. 8B exemplarily shows a case that a preloaded popup menu exists in aspecific title Title #k (Type #2 PopUp exist), that Chapter #p in thecorresponding title fails to have a real-time popup menu(PopUp_menu_type=10b), and that Chapter #(p+1) in the correspondingtitle has the real-time popup menu as well as the preloaded popup menu(PopUp_menu_type=11b).

Referring to FIG. 8B, when intending to play back the optical diskhaving ‘PopUp_menu_type=10b’ and ‘PopUp_menu_type=11b’, therecording/reproducing apparatus recognizes a popup menu type per eachchapter from the popup menu identification information PopUp_menu_typerecorded in the disk with each chapter. Based on the type indications,the apparatus controls the output of popup menu information

Specifically, Chapter #p has ‘PopUp_menu_type=10b’ indicating thatChapter #p is supported by a preloaded popup menu only. If a preloadedtype popup menu execution command PopUp_on is delivered from a user inthe process of playing back the corresponding section, the popup menuwhich is preloaded will be provided. Moreover, the opticalrecording/reproducing playback apparatus in one embodiment may provide arecognition icon (e.g., circled ‘P’) on one side of a provided image ifthere exists the preloaded popup menu, thereby informing the user thatthe preloaded popup menu is supportable in the current playback section.As with Chapter #n in FIG. 8A, Chapter #p fails to be supported by areal-time popup menu so that the real-time popup menu execution iconfails to be displayed thereon. Hence, the real-time popup menu executioncommand PopUp_on will not be delivered from the user.

Chapter #(p+1) has ‘PopUp_menu_type=11b’ indicating that Chapter #(p+1)is supported by both a preloaded popup menu and a real-time popup menu.As such, the apparatus is able to provide a popup menu corresponding toeach type of user popup menu execution command PopUp_on while thecorresponding section is played back. As described above with respect toChapter #p, a recognition icon enabling the user to recognize that thepreloaded popup menu exists may be provided on one side of the screen.In case that the real-time popup menu is supported, the real-time popupmenu execution icon will always be displayed on the screen. Hence, it isapparent that a separate real-time popup menu execution indicator willbe necessary in this optional embodiment.

In the embodiments described above, the multiplexed or real-time popupmenu was described as the always on display menu. Namely, a component ofthe real-time popup menu is always on display. However, the presentinvention is not limited to the real-time menu being the popup menu foralways on display. Instead, the preloaded popup menu may serve as themenu for always on display.

Similarly, in the embodiment described above, the non-multiplexed orpreloaded popup menu was mostly described as a menu that was notdisplayed until user input requesting display of the menu was received.However, it will be appreciated that the multiplexed or real-time popupmenu may serve as a user request menu in which no display takes placeuntil user input requesting display of the menu is received.

To the extent that one type of menu serves as an always on display menuand another type of menu serves as a user request display menu, the typeindication information indicates whether a menu is an always on or userrequest menu.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiments explained a hierarchy forthe two menu types; namely, using the preloaded menu for a largeplayback unit and the real-time menu for a subset of the large playbackunit. However, it will be appreciated that the menu types of the presentinvention are not limited to this hierarchy or limited to having ahierarchical relationship.

While the invention has been disclosed with respect to a limited numberof embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of thisdisclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. For example, while described with respect to a Blu-ray ROM opticaldisk in several instances, the present invention is not limited to thisstandard of optical disk or to optical disks. It is intended that allsuch modifications and variations fall within the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

1. A non-transitory recording medium storing an executable datastructure for managing reproduction of menu information by areproduction device, the recording medium comprising: an informationarea storing at least one of a first stream file and a second streamfile, the first stream file including first interactive menu informationmultiplexed with main data, the first interactive menu information beingconfigured to be displayed overlapping on the main data, the secondstream file including second interactive menu information, the secondinteractive menu information being configured to be displayedoverlapping on the main data, the second interactive menu informationbeing stored separate from a file containing the main data; and amanagement area storing management information for managing reproductionof menu information by the reproduction device, where the managementarea stores at least one of a first stream information file and a secondstream information file, the first stream information file having aone-to-one correspondence with the first stream file and the secondstream information file having a one-to-one correspondence with thesecond stream file, the first and second stream information filesrespectively including attribute information of data in the first andsecond stream files, the management area storing one or more playlistfiles designating a stream file to be reproduced by a correspondingstream information file, wherein the first interactive menu informationis configured to be displayed without user request, the firstinteractive menu information being configured to be on display during anentire duration of a playback-unit to which the first interactive menuinformation is applied, and the second interactive menu information isconfigured to be displayed upon user request, and the management areastores at least one subplayitem providing navigation information onstart and end times for reproducing the second stream file.
 2. Thenon-transitory recording medium of claim 1, wherein the first and secondinteractive menu information are graphic data.
 3. The non-transitoryrecording medium of claim 1, wherein the management area stores at leastone playitem, the playitem designating the first stream file by a nameof the first stream information file and providing navigationinformation on start and end times for reproducing one of the first andsecond stream files.
 4. A method of reproducing menu information from arecording medium loaded into and reproduced by a reproducing device, themethod comprising: reproducing, from the recording medium, managementinformation for managing reproduction of menu information, themanagement information including one or more playlist files and at leastone of a first stream information file and a second stream informationfile, the first stream information file having a one-to-onecorrespondence with a first stream file and the second streaminformation file having a one-to-one correspondence with a second streamfile, the first and second stream information files respectivelyincluding attribute information of data in the first and second streamfiles, the one or more playlist files designating a stream file to bereproduced by a corresponding stream information file; and reproducing,from the recording medium, at least one of the first stream file and thesecond stream file based on the management information, the first streamfile including first interactive menu information multiplexed with maindata, the first interactive menu information being displayed overlappingon the main data, the second stream file containing second interactivemenu information, the second interactive menu information beingconfigured to be displayed overlapping on the main data, the secondinteractive menu information being stored separate from a filecontaining the main data, wherein the first interactive menu informationis displayed without user request, the first interactive menuinformation being on display during an entire duration of aplayback-unit to which the first interactive menu information isapplied, and the second interactive menu information is displayed uponuser request, and the second stream file is reproduced based onnavigation information included in at least one subplayitem recorded onthe recording medium, the subplayitem providing information on start andend times for reproducing the second stream file.
 5. The method of claim4, further comprising: outputting the first interactive menu informationalong with the main data of the first stream file during the duration ofthe playback-unit without user request; and outputting the secondinteractive menu information upon request from a user.
 6. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the first stream information file includes timinginformation of the first stream file, the timing information mapping apresentation time of data in the first stream file to a source packetnumber of a source packet on the first stream file.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the first interactive menu information is displayed byusing the timing information of the first stream information file. 8.The method of claim 4, wherein the first stream file is reproduced basedon navigation information included in at least one playitem recorded onthe recording medium, the playitem designating the first stream file bya name of the first stream information file and providing information onstart and end times for reproducing the first stream file.
 9. A methodof recording a data structure for managing reproduction of menuinformation on a recording medium being loaded into and reproduced by areproducing device, the method comprising: recording, onto the recordingmedium, at least one of a first stream file and a second stream file,the first stream file including first interactive menu informationmultiplexed with main data, the first interactive menu information beingdisplayed overlapping on the main data, the second stream filecontaining second interactive menu information, the second interactivemenu information being configured to be displayed overlapping on themain data, the second interactive menu information being stored separatefrom a file containing the main data; and recording, onto the recordingmedium, management information for managing reproduction of menuinformation, the management information including one or more playlistfiles and at least one of a first stream information file and a secondstream information file, the first stream information file having aone-to-one correspondence with the first stream file and the secondstream information file having a one-to-one correspondence with thesecond stream file, the first and second stream information filesrespectively including attribute information of data in the first andsecond stream files, the one or more playlist files designating a streamfile to be reproduced by a corresponding stream information file,recording at least one subplayitem onto the recording medium, thesubplayitem providing navigation information on start and end times forreproducing the second stream file, wherein the first interactive menuinformation is displayed without user request, the first interactivemenu information being on display during an entire duration of aplayback-unit to which the first interactive menu information isapplied, and the second interactive menu information is displayed uponuser request.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: recordingat least one playitem onto the recording medium, the playitemdesignating the first stream file by a name of the first streaminformation file and providing navigation information on start and endtimes for reproducing the first stream file.
 11. An apparatus forreproducing menu information from a recording medium, comprising: areproducing device configured to reproduce information from therecording medium; and a controller configured to control the reproducingdevice to reproduce, from the recording medium, management informationfor managing reproduction of menu information, the managementinformation including one or more playlist files and at least one of afirst stream information file and a second stream information file, thefirst stream information file having a one-to-one correspondence with afirst stream file and the second stream information file having aone-to-one correspondence with a second stream file, the first andsecond stream information files respectively including attributeinformation of data in the first and second stream files, the one ormore playlist files designating a stream file to be reproduced by acorresponding stream information file, the controller being configuredto control the reproducing device to reproduce, from the recordingmedium, at least one of the first stream file and the second streamfile, the first stream file including first interactive menu informationmultiplexed with main data, the first interactive menu information beingconfigured to be displayed overlapping on the main data, the secondstream file including second interactive menu information, the secondinteractive menu information being configured to be displayedoverlapping the main data, the second interactive menu information beingseparate from a file containing the main data, wherein the controller isconfigured to control the first interactive menu information to bedisplayed without user requests the first interactive menu informationbeing configured to be displayed during an entire duration of aplayback-unit to which the first interactive menu information isapplied, and the controller is configured to control the secondinteractive menu information to be displayed upon request from a user,the controller is configured to control reproduction of the secondstream file based on navigation information included in at least onesubplayitem recorded on the recording medium, the subplayitem beingconfigured to provide information on start and end times for reproducingthe second stream file.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein thecontroller is configured to control reproduction of the first streamfile based on navigation information included in at least one playitemrecorded on the recording medium, the playitem being configured todesignate the first stream file by a name of the first streaminformation file and provide information on start and end times forreproducing the first stream file.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein the controller is configured to control display of the firstinteractive menu information by using timing information of the firststream information file, the timing information being configured to mapa presentation time of data in the first stream file to a source packetnumber of a source packet on the first stream file.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein the reproducing device includes a pickup configured toretrieve data recorded in the recording medium; a servo configured tocontrol movement of the pickup; a signal processor configured todemodulate a reproduced signal received from the pickup; a memoryconfigured to store data temporarily; and a microcomputer configured tocontrol the servo, the signal processor and the memory, wherein thereproducing device is configured to reproduce data from the recordingmedium according to a command transmitted from the controller.
 15. Anapparatus for recording a data structure for managing reproduction ofmenu information on a recording medium, comprising: a recording deviceconfigured to record information on the recording medium; and acontroller configured to control the recording device to record, ontothe recording medium, at least one of a first stream file and a secondstream file the first stream file including first interactive menuinformation multiplexed with main data, the first interactive menuinformation being configured to be displayed overlapping on the maindata, the second stream file including second interactive menuinformation, the second interactive menu information being configured tobe displayed overlapping the main data, the second interactive menuinformation being separate from a file including the main data, thecontroller being configured to control the recording device to record,onto the recording medium, management information for managingreproduction of menu information, the management information includingone or more playlist files at least one of a first stream informationfile and a second stream information file, the first stream informationfile having a one-to-one correspondence with the first stream file andthe second stream information file having a one-to-one correspondencewith the second stream file, the first and second stream informationfiles respectively including attribute information of data in the firstand second stream files, the one or more playlist files being configuredto designate a stream file to be reproduced by a corresponding streaminformation file, wherein the first interactive menu information isdisplayed without user request, the first interactive menu informationbeing configured to be on display during an entire duration of aplayback-unit to which the first interactive menu information isapplied, and the second interactive menu information is displayed uponuser request, and the controller is configured to control recording ofat least one subplayitem on the recording medium, the subplayitem beingconfigured to provide navigation information on start and end times forreproducing the second stream file.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the recording device includes: a pickup configured to recorddata onto the recording medium; a servo configured to control movementof the pickup; and a signal processor configured to modulate a signal tobe recorded by the pickup; and a memory configured to store datatemporarily; and a microcomputer configured to control the servo, thesignal processor and the memory, wherein the recording device isconfigured to record data onto the recording medium according to acommand transmitted from the controller.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the controller is configured to control recording of at leastone playitem on the recording medium, the playitem being configured todesignate the first stream file by a name of the first streaminformation file and to provide navigation information on start and endtimes for reproducing the first stream file.